


3:42

by manhattans_here



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: 3:00AM spaghetti making, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, al is only mentioned but ralbert's still thriving, between race and al, don't boil pasta in just water that's gross, i love them, much of the spromeo fluff, oh also al is now present in the story, oh and specs, plz, race and al are secretly engaged, race gets very drunk on oxygen when sleepy, race is a problem child, someone help specs, specs and romeo are MARRIED, specs needs help, spromeo are sickeningly cute, tagged teen bc of some swearing, there's a secret engagement, these four share one braincell and specs has it ninety percent of the time, this has now a second part, this is very on crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:35:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26587489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manhattans_here/pseuds/manhattans_here
Summary: Romeo is a chaotic child.Specs just wants to sleep.Race has no brain to mouth filter when tired.
Relationships: Albert DaSilva & Racetrack Higgins & Romeo & Specs, Albert DaSilva/Racetrack Higgins, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Romeo/Specs (Newsies), ralbert is no longer that minor
Comments: 12
Kudos: 40
Collections: newsies in the 342verse





	1. Chapter 1

3:42 AM.

_“No, Ro, you just haven’t turned the fucking stove on!”_

_“That’s bullshit! I just did!”_

Specs woke up to crashing sounds from the kitchen, taking a deep sigh before rubbing his eyes and reaching over to the bedside table for his glasses.

Once he slipped his glasses on his face, he looked over to Romeo’s side. Romeo was gone, as he had expected. He took a look around him, squeezing his eyes shut when he heard a loud crash emerge from the kitchen. Specs reconsidered his life choices before finally deciding to go check whatever the hell was going on.

He slowly got out of bed, reminding himself to file for divorce after this. He walked down the hallway to the kitchen to find Romeo and Race standing over a pot of pasta. The two boys turned their heads at him simultaneously, Romeo flashing an awkward smile. “Hey, babe.”

Specs’ eyes squinted, looking between the two. He opened his mouth, trying to think of a reply, but closed it again. The pack with the remaining pasta falling off the counter and onto the floor broke the silence.

“Alright, I’ll bite, what are you guys doing and why is Race here at three in the morning?” Specs asked, staring at them with an unreadable expression.

“I uh… I was lonely and couldn’t sleep so I came over to make some pasta with Romeo.” Race explained, being the first one to move to pick up the fallen pack of pasta.

“You came to-“ Specs paused to take a deep breath and pinch the bridge of his nose “Yeah, no, that’s not even in the top five weirdest things you guys have done.” He smiled and walked over to them. “Plus, you both need sleep. I know for a fact that you’re both excellent cooks and this is just water with spaghetti inside. And the stove is off. And you were about to pour the sauce in.”

Race looked inside the pot. “Huh. Yeah. I haven’t slept in two days.” His voice cracked.

Specs exhaled sharply through his nose. “I- Okay, I’m... Alright-” He let out a laugh, seeing how ridiculous the situation actually was now that he wasn’t occupied with thinking of whether him or Romeo would keep the cat after he left him for waking up at three in the morning to find him making pasta. “Okay, Race is gonna sleep on the couch. It’s too late for you to walk back and Al’s not here to pick you up.” He put the pot away from the stove. “Not even sure how you decided walking all the way here was a good idea in the first place…”

“I’m pretty sure Race still has pyjamas left from when he lived here.” Romeo said and walked down the hall.

“You guys are so nice to me.” Race, who was now starting to realize that he hasn’t slept in 48 hours, smiled giddily. “You’re like… my moms.”

“Sure, that makes sense, Racer.” Specs chuckled as he pulled out the sofabed _(that they got for Race specifically, by the way. That’s how often this happened.)_

“Yeah, you have, like, my pajamas and stuff and you stop me from making 3:00AM pasta and you got this whole couch for me… You’re my moms.” Race yawned, lying down on the couch once Specs put his pillow on. Suddenly his eyes shot open. “Holy shit, wait.”

“Yes, what is it, Racer?” Specs asked, a smirk tugging on his lips.

“If you’re my moms, you need to approve of me marrying Albert! Can I marry Albert?”

At this, Specs almost tripped. He stared at Race, his jaw hanging open. “You’re… Racer! You’re gonna propose? “

“What?” Race looked just as surprised as him for a second, before he burst into giggles. “Oh, no, no. Of course not.”

Specs let out a sigh, his heartbeat returning to a normal rate. Gosh, tired Race was going to give him a heart attack some day.

“No, I wouldn’t need to propose, Al already did.” Race smiled.

And this, kids, is the story of how Specs had his fifth stroke that night.

“I- Albert-…” Specs took a moment. Give him a break. “Albert… proposed to you. You guys are engaged.”

“Hm? Oh, yeah!” Race confirmed, still in his fit of giggles. “Yeah, it was real sweet, too. Didn’t wanna tell you guys until he got back from his stupid family reunion thing.”

“This is insane. This is _nuts_ , you did not just tell me you and Albert got engaged just like that.” Specs took a deep breath, letting out a nervous laugh before he let his brain process this information. “This… This is amazing. Race, you guys got engaged.”

“Yeah, you wanna see my ring? I have it back home!” Race grinned excitedly.

“No, Racer, you can show it to me another time, you need to stay here tonight. But… congratulations. I’m so happy for you guys.” Specs smiled.

“Hey, Ton? I’ve got your PJs.” Romeo walked back into the living room, tossing the pajamas at Race. “Don’t sleep in your clothes, alright?” He took Race’s sloppy smile as a yes. “Specs?”

“Yeah, coming.” Specs shot Race one last grin before following Romeo to their own room.

“So, Race alright?” Romeo asked, closing the door behind him and jumping on the bed.

“You’re a child.” Specs laughed, lying next to the blanket burrito that had become of his husband during the two second he was on the bed and wrapping one arm around him. “Race is all good, just desperately needs sleep.”

“He has a secret.” Romeo smiled. Specs raised his eyebrows at that. “Yeah, he’s hiding something, there’s something he needed to say today. I could tell.”

“Well, whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll find out soon.” Specs hummed, burying his face in Romeo’s hair. “You’re like his brother, Ro.”

“Hmm, yeah, I better be.” Romeo mumbled. “That fucker would be dead by college without me.”

“Yeah, yeah, joke all you want about it, but he really does love you.” Specs sat up, leaning on his shoulders.

Romeo smiled, pulling him back down. “Whatever, it’s sleep time. Bed o’clock. We don’t talk now, just sleep.” He whined, making Specs chuckle. “I do love him. He’s my brother.”

“I know.” Specs smiled, kissing the top of his head. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Romeo cuddled closer into Specs. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, love.”

…

“Race and Albert are engaged.”

_“What?!”_


	2. 9:27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> race and albert have an announcement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLZ ISTG i dont even like pet names and i can't stop thinking about specs calling romeo pumpkin just because of that one song by the regrettes

_9:27 AM._

These were the numbers on the clock when Romeo was awakened after he felt Specs shift beside him, attempting to get up. He groaned, slowly opening his eyes before closing them again, turning to bury his face into the pillow. Okay, fair. Romeo hated being woken up early in the morning as much as Specs hated being woken up late at night, something that he’d caused on more occasions than he’d care to admit. “Where you goin’?”

“Oh, thought you’d wake up.” He heard his husband chuckle.

“Why, Specs.” He mumbled into the fabric of his pillow case. It was a Saturday, he had no work to do and there was absolutely no reason for him to be up before noon.

“Race and Al are gonna come over later, remember? They want to announce the engagement we already know about.” Oh, right, yes. Race and Albert were engaged, apparently. Romeo turned around, rubbing his eyes before he sighed, finally untangling himself from the covers and getting out of bed.

“Shoot, right.” He muttered. “Which means I need to get dressed and stuff.”

“Yes, you do, Ro. Sorry to inform you.” Specs said as he put on his glasses. He smiled. “You know, being literally almost blind has its perks.”

“Like?”

“I can make sure you’re the first thing I actually see when I wake up.” Romeo laughed at the remark, shoving him lightly on the chest, his face flushing red. He’d always been the romantic one between the two of them, hell, people called him Romeo, but even after nearly nine years of being together whenever Specs said things like that he’d melt into a puddle. A very flustered puddle.

“Whatever you say, dork.” He rolled his eyes fondly. He opened the closet, quickly scanning his eyes for the first thing he could spot that actually looked good and ended up grabbing a random sweater and a pair of jeans, besides, it was Race and Al they were expecting, not the president. He turned to Specs, who was already dressed. “Breakfast?”

“Of course, pumpkin.” Specs took him by the hand, leading him to out the hallway and to the kitchen.

“You know, you’re being awfully sweet today.” Romeo grinned. “Usually that’s me doing that.”

Specs grabbed him by the waist and lifted him up, sitting him on the kitchen counter before he planted a kiss on his temple, then his nose and finally his lips. “Guess engagements bring it out in me, then.”

“Oh, okay, I like sappy Specs.” Romeo’s eyes slightly widened at being lifted.

“Yeah, yeah, enjoy it while it lasts, then.” Specs laughed as he pulled the fridge door open. “Now, what do you want for breakfast?”

As expected, about a little less than an hour later Race walked into the apartment, announcing his presence with a “’Sup, bitches?” as Albert trailed behind him, a grin plastered on his face and his hand in the blonde’s. They walked into the living room to see Specs with a book in hand, barely scanning over the actual content of it and a sleeping Romeo draped on his lap.

“Hey, guys.” Specs moved to put his book on the coffee table. He nudged the shorter boy awake, earning a whine in protest from him. “Wake up, pumpkin. Race and Al are here.”

At this, Romeo opened his eyes, a smile spreading on his face as he saw the other two. “Ugh, not these fuckers again.” He faked annoyance.

Race gasped in mock offense as he and Albert sat down on the couch, their hands still linked. “Good morning, Ro, love you too.” Albert said in response.

“What’s got you two here so early?” Specs asked, wrapping his arms around his husband’s waist.

“Well, uh, me and Race actually… have something to tell you guys.” Albert turned to his (supposedly secret) fiance with a smile, giving his hand a slight squeeze.

“Yeah! Yeah, we do. It’s something I, uh, have _not_ told either of you before.” He emphasized, anxiously eyeing Specs.

“Oh?” Romeo smirked at them. “What haven’t you told us.”

Race and Albert shared a look, beaming at each other before they turned back to their friends. “We’re-“

“Engaged.” The other two said at the same time. “Yeah, we figured.” Specs added.

Race and Albert simultaneously turned to look at each other, wide-eyed. “Okay, sorry, I was going to propose! I had to tell someone!” Albert protested, before realization hit him. “Wait, Specs? _You_ knew?”

“Hey, what do you mean he knew?” Race frowned. “I thought Romeo didn’t know.”

“Wait, you didn’t know that I know?” Romeo asked.

“You told Romeo?”

“You told Specs!” Albert shot back. “I didn’t tell him we were engaged, jus told him I wanted to propose to you.”

“You knew he was going to propose to him?” Specs turned to Romeo, who just offered him an innocent smile in response.

“You knew he was going to propose to me!” Race gasped. “That’s why you were laughing! When I-“

“When you caught the bouquet, yes.” Romeo grinned at the blonde. “Albert told me he wanted to propose to you literally as I was getting ready for my own wedding.”

“I thought you were just laughing at the thought of me ever getting married!”

“Well, yeah, that too.”He shrugged.

“Okay, as amusing as this conversation is,” Specs interrupted “I’m really happy for you two. Ro always thought you’d end up together, even after high school and honestly-“

“Hey, you’re not off the hook!” Race realized, pointing a finger at Specs accusingly. “You told Romeo!”

“Well, you told Specs.” Albert shrugged.

“I was sleep deprived! I tried to pour tomato sauce in the pot where the pasta boiled!” Race said, defending himself as Albert held in a chuckle. “You’re laughing at me, don’t laugh at me! It’s not funny!” He sighed when Albert gave up on containing his laughter, letting out a series of chuckled that slowly progressed into full out laughter at Race’s complaints. “Yeah, laugh all you want. I couldn’t fall asleep without you.” Race pouted.

“Aw, Racer, that’s sweet.” Albert smiled, leaning in towards the boy’s lips.

“Okay, no, gross.” Romeo intervened before the two of them got carried away. “I had enough of you two making out on the couch when Race lived here, no more.”

“Sorry, Ro.” Race chuckled. “Kind of ironic of you to talk about gross when you’ve been literally sitting on Specs’ lap the entire time.”

Romeo rolled his eyes, brushing his comment aside. “Jeez, two years ago you were sneaking to Albert’s telling me you were going to see Specs or Jojo and now you’re getting married.” He laughed in disbelief. Realization started to sink in for all four of them as soon as Romeo said the words. He looked between his friends, beaming. “You’re getting married, Racer!” He exclaimed, flopping on top of Race and Albert to pull the former in a tight hug. Race smiled, wrapping his arms around his friend.

“Hey, Specs!” Albert called “C’mere, idiot.”

Specs chuckled, shaking his head as he sat on the couch and joined his friends into a big hug. The four boys stayed piled on top of each other for a bit, laughing when Romeo accidentally elbowed Albert in the ribs. Race sighed, leaning back against Albert. “Love you guys.” He muttered.

“Love you too, Racer.” Specs smiled.

“I don’t, you’re stupid.” Albert said, before getting a (now deliberate) elbow to his ribs once again.


End file.
